By understanding your condition
An important way in which you can help us is to understand as much as you can about your condition, reading any material that is provided and feeling free to ask questions if necessary. We believe that patients who are well informed about their tumour tend to worry less about their condition and generally cope better than those who leave too much to their own imagination.

By giving us feedback
Feedback is very important and it would be very helpful if you could complete and return any questionnaires that you receive. There are two types of questionnaire. The first, dealing with patient satisfaction, will ask you questions about administrative matters, your experience in hospital and how you feel about the results of your treatment. The second type of questionnaire may be sent after discharge from the ocular oncology Centre, to determine your general state of health and to enable us to become aware of any complications that might develop years after your treatment.

By complaining
If there is anything you are unhappy about, you are encouraged to make a complaint, which will help us rectify the problem.

By donating tissue and blood samples for research
It would be very helpful if you could give us consent to use tissue and blood samples for research, clinical data for outcomes evaluation and photographs for teaching purposes.

By speaking to new patients about your own experience
Another way in which you can help is to volunteer to speak to new patients to give them some idea of your own experiences, both good and bad. Depending on your preference, we can either give them your telephone number or we can telephone you with their number. If you agree, it is likely that you will be asked to speak to about one or two new patients each year.

By making a financial donation
Many patients have donated money to the Eye Tumour Research Fund and this assistance has been extremely valuable. Some patients have made a personal contribution and others have collected money from sponsored walks, tea-parties and other enjoyable events. Over the years, such contributions have enabled us to develop our database, to purchase computers and software programs for teaching and research, to attend congresses (travelling economy class), and to start off research projects. We have recently raised enough money to purchase a wide-angle digital retinal camera and are now waiting for the manufacture of this camera to be completed so that we can perform our own evaluation before making the purchase. This camera will enable us to photograph large and peripheral choroidal tumours, which are too awkwardly located to be reached by conventional retinal cameras.

The Eye Tumour Research Fund is a recognized charitable fund managed by the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, which oversees the fund and which needs to grant its permission before any money can be spent.

Donations can be made in the following manner:

• By placing your donation in an official donation envelope (obtained from any member of staff) and posting this envelope in a blue donation box, either at the main entrance to the hospital or at the back entrance corridor.
• By handing in your donation at the general office of the hospital, which is on the first floor.
• By writing a cheque payable to 'The RL&BUH Trust Funds-Eye Tumour Research Fund' and posting this cheque to the General Office, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Street, Liverpool L7 8XP. If the accompanying letter specifies that this is a 'Gift aid charitable donation' and if you are a taxpayer, then it is possible to reclaim tax, thereby increasing the size of the donation.

If you wish to make any enquiries about making a donation, you can either contact:
The Charitable Funds Section,
1st Floor,
Pembroke House
Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Prescot St
Liverpool
L7 8XP

Tel: 0151 706 2000 (ext 2833 or 2834)

You will receive a receipt from the hospital. In addition, the consultant likes to write a personal letter of thanks to all donors.

By attending our patient focus group meetings
Every few months, we hold a patient focus group meeting on a Thursday morning from 9 am to 10 am, so that patients attending our follow-up clinic can speak about their experiences and make suggestions for improvements. This meeting takes place in the conference room of St Paul's Eye Unit, on the 8Z link of our hospital. Minutes of the meeting are discussed by members of our Centre and highlights are published in our newsletter and on our web-site.

---